The present invention relates to a bistable electromagnetic actuator device, as well as a utilization of such an actuator device.
Electromagnetic actuator devices are generally known from the prior art; for example, DE 201 14 466 U1 of the applicant discloses a bistable electromagnetic actuator device that features an armature unit with permanent magnet means, as well as an elongate plunger unit extending along a moving direction. This permanent-magnetic armature unit is driven by means of stationary electromagnetic driving means in the form of a stationary core unit, to which a suitably energizable coil unit is assigned. This arrangement is enclosed by a magnetically conductive housing that closes the magnetic circuit required for the motion.
The end of the plunger unit forms a contact or engagement section for an actuating partner, which in the generic prior art consists of an adjusting groove of an internal combustion engine designed for camshaft adjustments, wherein said contact and/or engagement section is particularly suitable for transmitting a driving force, which is generated by energizing the driving means, and a resulting motion of the armature unit to the actuating partner.
This type of technology, which represents the generic prior art, has not only gained acceptance in the technical field of camshaft adjustments in internal combustion engines, wherein the popularity of known devices is not only based on high duty cycle numbers and long service lives, but particularly also an automated manufacturability.
It is also known from the prior art to assign suitable sensor means to an electromagnetically operated actuating device, wherein said sensor means particularly register or detect an intended advance of the plunger unit and thereby allow an (e.g. electronically evaluable) functionality check of the actuator system. For example, an incomplete or faulty plunger motion would initially be suitably detected and the complete, correct motion (e.g. extension) of the plunger unit would subsequently be realized with a corresponding control functionality, in which a sensor signal is utilized.
Furthermore, various position and motion detection sensors in the form of generic technologies are known from the prior art. These sensors are used in virtually all relevant applications of the industrial and private technology and provide a suitable basis for control and feedback control functionalities, e.g. in accordance with the above-discussed technology and the respective field of application.
However, a motion detection or position detection of an actuating partner is particularly difficult if a reliable and failsafe detection has to be realized in connection with a not always clearly defined initial position or starting position of the actuating partner to be monitored with respect to its motion or position, for example, within a limited structural space or under particularly stressful ambient conditions such as moisture, vibrations or heat (e.g. in the generic field of motor vehicles). In this case, it was traditionally required to initially determine an initial position or starting position of the actuating partner in a first step and to then detect the motion of the actuating partner from this determined initial position or starting position in a subsequent monitoring step. The costs for the required technical equipment are correspondingly high and additionally increased due to the above-discussed problematic ambient conditions, e.g., in the present exemplary field of application of motor vehicle technology.